"Cut in real terms for the second year" in NHS Tayside’s
capital allocation

24 February 2009

Marlyn Glen said today that capital
spending allocation in the health service in Dundee and Tayside was being
cut in real terms for the second year running by the Scottish Government
compared with 2007-08.

In a reply to a Parliamentary question
tabled by Ms. Glen, Health Secretary Nicola Sturgeon provided details of the
formula capital allocation for NHS Tayside at 2009-10 prices and adjusted
for inflation.

These were:

2007-08 £25.516 million

2008-09 £25.008 million

2009-10 £25,030 million

Ms. Glen said,

"The SNP Government has failed to sustain the large
increases in capital allocation made by the previous Labour-led
administration to NHS Tayside.

"On the face of it, the figures show a
small increase for the next financial year, 2009-10.

"However, when inflation is taken into
account, both this year’s spending and next year’s spending are each almost
£500,000 less than two years ago.